Persona X Detective: Naoto's Quest
by Leo-Novum
Summary: Not content with the Answer and struggling with her new found outlook of the world, Shirogane Naoto goes to Umikaze Village to get her mind together. Little did she realize that choosing Umikaze as a sabbatical resort wasn't a random choice.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Umikaze Village**

Shirogane Naoto took in the view in front of her with a rather puzzled look on her face. She looked at the picture in the pamphlet once before looking up once more. The train station's plaque read Umikaze Village but Naoto was finding it rather hard to believe that this really was the same place as advertised in the pamphlet. With a sigh, the girl detective picked up her small suitcase and started walking.

The station was an extremely small one, consisting of a single platform, ticket office and waiting area. Naoto reckoned that the ticket collector was perhaps the station master as well. Umikaze Village may have been large in size but considering the distinct lack of buildings, Naoto could tell that Umikaze Village didn't have much of a population.

There were a lot of palm trees though, for some reason.

Naoto rechecked the pamphlet. The notable buildings of Umikaze Village were the clinic, the post office, the shrine, the school and the administration offices. The road was paved although there was no footpath for pedestrians. Naoto simply walked, taking in the sights of the seaside village. No buildings had appeared yet and the abundance of greenery was a welcome sight to the eyes.

Despite having a population of nearly 2000, Naoto had yet to see a single person. Feeling uneasy, she continued walking when some nearby bushes started rustling. Startled, Naoto took a few steps back and looked up just in time to see a girl jump out of the bushes.

She was carrying a metallic looking briefcase and had a few leaves stuck in her long black hair. Her overall appearance was quite strange. She was wearing a multicolored shirt along with a black skirt over white pants. A long woolen scarf was wrapped so tightly around her neck that Naoto was afraid she might suffocate.

"Good morning!" She said brightly.

"Well, yes." Naoto said, still a little surprised.

The girl looked around secretively before opening her briefcase a little.

"Hey," She whispered. "Wanna buy some?"

Naoto looked at her warily. She was doing an exaggeratedly bad impression of a drug dealer. But Naoto didn't want to take any chances.

"What are you selling?" She asked. The strange girl giggled and then opened the briefcase.

"Silk ties." She said. She looked around once again as if on the lookout. "For you, I'll charge only a thousand yen per piece."

"These are not genuine silk ties." Naoto said flatly.

"They are. What makes you say otherwise?" The strange girl said passionately, her sudden burst of emotion catching Naoto off guard.

"Well, their tags say they are cotton." Naoto said, pointing at the ties. The girl stared at Naoto in awe for thirty seconds, long enough for Naoto to feel uncomfortable.

"Are you some kind of detective?" The girl said, her tone still quite reverential.

"Well yes but your thought process…" Naoto said but her voice was drowned out by the strange girl's triumphant yell of 'I knew it!'.

"So you seem to be new here. What brings you to Umikaze? I am Inari, by the way. Suzuhara Inari." The girl said, waving her briefcase merrily and almost knocking off Naoto's hat. She stuck out her hand and looked expectantly at Naoto. Naoto shook it cautiously, afraid that the volatile girl might explode from over excitement.

"My name is Shirogane Naoto. Pleased to meet you." The girl detective said a little woodenly, being put off by Suzuhara Inari's complete lack of etiquette.

"Shirogane, eh? That's a nice name. Has a solid ring to it. See you around, Metal Detective-kun! I have to go on a quest for the Mysterious Organization now!" Suzuhara said before walking away casually, waving her briefcase back and forth as if she was without a care in the world.

"Metal Detective?" Naoto said to herself with a wry smile. Suzuhara had obviously mistaken the words used in her surname. Still, Metal Detective did sound kind of cool in Naoto's opinion. Shaking her head slightly, Naoto came back to reality and started walking once more.

A few meters later, she found herself looking at a young Buddhist monk sitting on the roadside.

"Can I help you?" Naoto asked politely. The young monk looked up with a smile.

"Yes please, if it isn't much of a bother. I think I have sprained my ankle." He said politely.

"No problem then. Let me help you to your feet." Naoto said as she pulled the monk up and put his arm around her neck. The two of them made their way forward for a few feet.

"You know, for a girl, you are surprisingly masculine." The monk said. Naoto didn't flinch or gasp but simply raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"You are much more observant than others I know. Please tell me how did you arrive at that conclusion." Naoto asked.

"You are obviously from out of town, judging from the suitcase and the clothes. However, unlike most other men, you didn't hesitate to help me up." The monk explained.

"That's not a correct manner of inference. You are right for the wrong reasons." Naoto said a little grumpily. She didn't like letting information slip through her lips like that.

"Oh? Please explain how it isn't! Most men are insensitive." The monk declared.

"I know a few who aren't." Naoto said with a small smile. The two of them walked for a few more feet before they finally came across a building.

"What's that?" Naoto asked, a little confused by the building.

"Haven't you ever seen a post office before?" The monk asked.

"Well, not like this one!" Naoto said defensively.

The front of the shop had an extremely large window which gave her a nice view of what was inside the post office. A small bald man was sitting behind the counter and snoring. There were also two barber chairs, a shelf full of books, a wall dedicated to fishing gear, grocery racks, a fridge, another fridge stacked completely with alcohol and for some reason, an entire pile of plushies ranging from animals to Jack Frost. Two pump machines stood outside the post office, one for petrol and the other for diesel.

"Well, I think I understand what you mean by that. You see, the post office here works as a grocery store, a liquor store, a filling station, a barber shop and a post office. It is kind of convenient finding everything in one place but don't tell that to the other shop owners. Old Tanaka here is kind of despised due to his monopoly on business." The monk said.

"Hi! Fancy meeting you again, Metal Detective-kun! What're you doing here with Monk-san?" Suzuhara Inari said, jumping on to Naoto from behind and nearly scaring the girl detective to death.

"I told you, my name is Miyamoto Minato. Can't you remember that?" The young monk said in an exasperated voice.

"But Monk-san will always be Monk-san to me!" Suzuhara said blithely.

"Suzuhara-san," Naoto said, regaining her composure. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"What do you mean, what am I doing here? I work here! Didn't I tell you that already?" Suzuhara said crossly.

"You told me that you work for a mysterious organization, not the post office." Naoto said.

"And it is a mysterious organization! Look at the pumps!" Suzuhara said, pointing. Naoto dully gazed in the direction.

"What is it?" Naoto asked.

"How did Old Man Tanaka know that there would be oil underneath? That's very mysterious, I'll give you that!" Suzuhara said.

Both Naoto and Miyamoto decided to ignore Suzuhara and started walking back to town. There were quite a few buildings where they were walking now and some people stared at the two of them. Although many people didn't even bother to stare and continued doing whatever they were doing.

"This here will do. This is my house. Would you like to have some tea?" Miyamoto the Monk asked politely.

"No thank you. I need to get going to the inn here. Can you give me the directions? The map on the pamphlet is quite vague on the subject." Naoto declined just as politely.

"The inn is just a few hundred meters to the east. You can't miss it. It's the oldest building of Umikaze Village." Miyamoto said. Naoto thanked the young monk and started on her way to the inn.

"And just a bit of a warning. Don't go to the Sea Cave and don't talk to the Old Soldier. They are nothing but trouble. We had a death in the Sea Cave two months ago when some stupid tourist thought they were immune to death." Miyamoto the Monk yelled from his door step. Naoto simply nodded and continued on her way.

As how Miyamoto the Monk had said, the inn was exactly where he had described. It also looked like the oldest building in the village although it was neither dilapidated nor derelict. It seemed to have simply aged well through the years. Naoto simply slid the paper screen aside and stepped in. Taking off her shoes, she stepped in to the inn. The dimness inside nearly blinded her but her eyes soon adjusted and she was able to tell the details of the inside.

The inn was quite traditional in its appearance, with a stark lack of furniture which reminded her of the Amagi Inn back at Yasoinaba. There were no bulbs or tube lights, only several brackets of gas-lamps connected by plastic tubes. Considering the amount of gas lamps, the entire inn looked ripe for a case of arson.

"Excuse me? Is anybody there?" Naoto called out. Her voice seemed to echo for a bit and it made her feel slightly uneasy. After an eternity of waiting, the girl detective heard a small and weak voice respond.

"Who is it? Ryu-chan, is that you?" Someone answered. A few moments later, an old woman, a little taller than Naoto herself, seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Ah, you aren't Ryu-chan." The old woman said sadly. Her expression remained melancholy for only a few moments. "Well, what can I do for you, dear child? I am Yukimura Sakura, the Inn Keeper. It is a little unexpected to see you here since tourist season has yet to begin." She said, her tone a bit more cheerful.

"I am so sorry. I presumed that the inn would be open for business. Pardon my intrusion." Naoto said quickly as she backed away.

"Oh no, I didn't mean it that way. Your arrival is unexpected but not unwelcome. Please do stay! I won't even charge you a single yen!" The old woman said quickly.

"Madam, I don't think letting me stay here for free is a wise economic decision." Naoto said a little seriously. The old woman simply smiled a little sadly.

"Money is not the problem, dear child. My children work in the city and send me money. I only operate this inn because it is the only remaining memory I have of my family. Come on now, child. I'll show you to your room and don't you dare take out your wallet. You are staying here for free." The old woman said, taking Naoto's luggage with a surprisingly strong hand and practically dragging her to her room.

A few minutes later, Naoto was sitting at the dinner table with lunch served to her by the kind old landlady of the inn. The landlady finished lighting all the gas lamps, brightening up the room a little before taking a seat opposite to her.

"Now tell me, what brings you to Umikaze Village at such a time of the year? Shirogane Naoto, was it?" The Landlady asked eagerly.

"Well," Naoto said, still surprised by her hostess's hospitality and eagerness for conversation. "I am actually facing a rather tough decision." The girl said, trying to explain away the situation with a vague bunch of words.

"Ah, are you having family problems?" The landlady asked with a tinge of concern.

"No nothing like that. I am just thinking about my career choices for the future and decided that I need lots of time for myself to properly think it through." Naoto said.

In truth, the events of the Yasoinaba Serial Murders Case had shaken her profoundly although not traumatically. Here had been a case which hadn't just defied common sense, it had practically laughed in its face stomped all over it. The Supernatural was, evidently, quite natural and this opened up a lot of questions.

If the supernatural had always been there, how many unsolvable crimes were truly unsolvable? Was there any point in being a detective anymore if there might be more cases concerning things that went bump in the night? Did logic and common sense not matter anymore?

Shirogane Naoto had, for the first time in her life, decided not to return home to her grandfather for the summer vacations. Instead, she had asked to go somewhere far removed to contemplate. Her grandfather had, after some thought, given her permission to do that.

And which was why she was sitting in an inn in Umikaze Village.

"Ah well it is a tough time for youngsters nowadays. So many options to choose from and yet so little time. The world doesn't make sense right now, does it?" The landlady said kindly.

"Yes, yes it doesn't." Naoto said, a small smile decorating her face. She then ate all the lunch that was in front of her in a few seconds.

"Pardon me, Mrs. Yukimura, but I am tired from my journey. May I be excused?" Naoto asked.

"Oh how tactless of me. Of course you can go rest. I'll clear up the dishes. You just go to your room and have a good rest, alright?" The landlady said. Naoto took the opportunity and quietly went to her room where she simply undressed, put on her sleeping clothes and lay down in her futon.

At first, Shirogane Naoto hadn't been much disturbed at concepts like the Midnight Channel, Kuni-no-Sagiri, Ameno-Sagiri and Izanami-no-Okami. She should have been but the simple fact was that there had been so much going on that it never occurred to her that their existences contradicted her world view. It was only after Narukami-senpai went back when it slowly started sinking in.

Mankind's perception of the world was very, very foggy. There were monsters out there and there were gods out there. And the most terrifying thing was that the Investigation Team had only discovered their existence because they WANTED to be known. Or in Izanami's case, they wanted to know what would happen when you gave three random people immeasurable power and the ability to induce the same power in other people.

Suddenly, all unsolvable cases seemed to have a supernatural explanation. The darkness and the night now seemed to hide something. Naoto had slowly grown quite paranoid until she had finally snapped and asked her grandfather for some time off. It was the summer holidays anyways so there was no harm. Her grandfather had been quite surprised but in the end had decided not to interfere.

Why had she chosen Umikaze? If Naoto had to answer, it was because it had an inn, a population of just under two thousand people and limited technology. She wouldn't be bothered by news of the outside and she would finally come across an answer to her question.

Was it worth being a detective in a world like this?

Before she knew it, Naoto had fallen asleep.

(-)

Shirogane Naoto found herself in the strangest room she had ever seen. It was extremely…

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." A man with a long nose and wide eyes greeted her.

Velvet. That was the word. Almost everything was a shade of velvet or dark blue. It should have been sickening but somehow, it felt calming instead. Shirogane Naoto felt herself mentally relax in spite of being in a strange room with a long nosed man.

"What is this place?" Naoto asked a little breathlessly. The room seemed more like a miniature bar, in her opinion. She was sitting on a stool with a table between her and the man with the long nose. On the other side of the small room stood a large wooden counter with dozens of multicolored bottles set on it. A blonde young man in a blue waistcoat stood behind the counter, intently polishing a tiny tumbler. Soft music plazed somewhere although the sound seemed to be everywhere, almost ambient.

"The Velvet Room is a place between the subconscious and the conscious; Between mind and matter. I am Igor, the Proprietor of the Velvet Room. He," Igor pointed at the bartender. "is Victor, my assistant. Our job is to find people with the potential to change the future and guide them to their destiny."

"So should I assume that I am here for you to guide me?" Naoto asked.

"Correct. Coincidently, I guided your predecessor in his quest as well, one in which you had some involvement. While Izanami may have nudged that power within him, I helped nurture it." Igor explained.

"You helped Narukami-senpai?" Naoto asked, more quizzical and less surprised.

"And many more as well. There is a titanic struggle between unfathomable powers ever present since the dawn of man and I have always been there, under the orders of my Master, to act as the Observer and the Guide. Even if I can't directly involve myself, I am permitted to influence and, at certain times, inspire change. However it all comes down to those who are permitted entry to the Velvet Room. In the end, it will all lie on your shoulders." Igor said.

"How can I know that you are telling the truth?" Naoto asked.

Igor's grin simply grew wider before he suddenly brought out a single blue card and lay it on the table. Naoto looked at it, uninterested at first but her expression changed after looking at the card.

"Sukuna-Hikona, your first Persona. Which then transfigured into Yamato Takeru, te advanced form of your Persona." Igor said. He then produce seven more cards, ranging from Jiraiya, Tomoe Gozen, Konohana Sakuya, Take-Mikazuchi, Himiko and Izanagi before showing the advanced forms of all.

"Now that we have established that I am indeed telling the truth, let's read your fortune shall we?" Igor said. The eight Persona Cards he had produced out of nowhere disappeared. He then dramatically waved his hand and four other cards appeared face down. Igor then flipped over the first one.

"The Reversed Hermit. You have withdrawn contact from others in order to search for an answer within yourself but you have made an inconsiderate move." Igor said. Even though there was no malice in his words, Naoto still felt a little hurt by them. Igor then flipped the second card.

"The Reversed Hanged Man. You are putting off making a decision and are thus wasting your time and resources in this venture. You need a fresh change in perspective." Igor said. Naoto sat impassively. Igor turned the third card.

"The Upright Tower. A storm is coming, Shirogane Naoto, and you are going to be hit by the brunt of it. It will be the necessary catalyst for you to make your decision but will it be for better or for worse is up for you to decide." Igor said. He flipped the final card which showed a grinning skull.

"The Upright Death. Although it doesn't necessarily mean actually death, here it represents a great change. However, as I stated before, it will be entirely up for you to decide whether you will change for the better or for the worse." Igor declared.

"I would like to know what exactly is that I am facing." Naoto asked flatly.

"A good question, Naoto Shirogane, but a complex one. Unlike me, you are a creature bound by the laws of time and space so explaining to you what exactly it is that you will face will be a futile endeavor. There is also the chance that the nature of the peril itself might change if I was to disclose information. The enemy is near but hidden. It will be your job to find him. And remember, do not make the wrong choice!" Igor said. Naoto felt herself floating away from the Velvet Room and Igor's voice and the music playing seemed to get fainter and fainter until she blacked out.

* * *

**And this is, thus, my first attempt in fanfiction about the SMT and Persona Universe. I chose Shirogane Naoto because she is a detective although I was sorely tempted to use Teddie. However, considering that he has already been in the Velvet Room and that making him the star of this fic would be something like the P4 fanfiction version of The Answer, Naoto was selected.**

**It should be noted that Shirogane Naoto is NOT The Fool now. She is still The Wheel of Fortune. She doesn't have the Wild Card ability neither can she cause people to develop Personas. Her only role is that of a guest in the Velvet Room but without the usual perks attached.**

**Suzuhara Inari calls Naoto the Metal Detective because Naoto's surname, Shirogane, can mean White Gold i.e. Platinum. Her name actually means White Bell. The name Naoto itself means honesty/Big Dipper. So our little girl detective's full name can be roughly translated as The Honest White Bell.**

**Or you could confuse it for Big Dipper Platinum, like Suzuhara Inari did.**

**Another warning, this fic is bound to be filled with original characters so I am sorry to disappoint. The Investigation Team will not miraculously show up to save the day.**

**Otherwise, enjoy and review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Shirogane Naoto**

Naoto Shirogane woke up at a god forsaken hour and panicked as she gazed up an unfamiliar ceiling.

She quickly calmed down when she remembered that she was in the Yukimura Inn in Umikaze Village.

She suffered a second panic attack when she couldn't find her hat and then suffered a third panic attack when she couldn't find her Peacemaker. After she got her act together, Naoto got dressed in her usual clothes. While she would have normally preferred a shower before breakfast, something told her that the inn would be missing modern plumbing.

"Oi kid!" Someone yelled from outside her room, banging on the wooden frame and startling Naoto a fourth time. "Grandma has made breakfast!"

For a moment, Naoto tried to think of why she felt so disoriented before she remembered her dream. It was quite a strange one. Naoto usually forgot her dreams as soon as she got up but this one, for some reason, seemed to stick to her mind. Dismissing it as just some random dream, Naoto got out of her room.

Naoto arrived just in time to see her hostess and a young man, the guy who had presumably banged on the wooden frames, began to eat. The two of them, hostess and young man, were quite different in many regards. Mrs. Yukimura had jet black hair with several strands of grey while the young man was blonde although his hair roots were black. Mrs. Yukimura was dressed in simple and traditional clothes while the young man was dressed in jeans and shirt with a cross drawn on the front. Mrs. Yukimura remained calm and composed throughout her bites while the young man kept fidgeting in his seat.

"Good morning, Shirogane-kun." Mrs. Yukimura smiled as Naoto silently seated herself at the table.

"Good morning, Yukimura-san." Naoto replied politely.

"It's a strange time to come to Umikaze Village, Shirogane." The blonde boy said suspiciously. He took an enormous bite of food, quickly chewed it down and then swallowed. "What are you here for?" he said, narrowing his eyes to a nearly impossible level.

"Kin-chan, you're being impolite to our guest." Mrs. Yukimura chastised the blonde boy.

"He is staying here without paying. That means he should get used to me being informal." The blonde boy declared.

Naoto casually ran her gaze all over the boy. His hair was blonde but the roots were black. Dyed hair, obviously. He had used a disrespectful tone to address her and his grandmother implying either experience with city life or trying to emulate it. His clothes, however, indicated that he definitely had been to the city. His eating style and his fidgety manner told her that he was much too used to the city's fast life and had adjusted to the village yet. In fact, Naoto was willing to bet that the boy himself had just come to his home village a few days ago and was already aching to go back to the exciting city. His loud wake up cal in the morning and his antagonistic attitude suggested that he didn't appreciate Naoto's arrival. Possibly because he was afraid of having to play a servant boy to someone he thought of his equal or at least lesser than him.

"I am sorry to intrude upon your magnificent residence, Yukimura-san, but I this was the only place I could find that would allow me to stay. As for my reason of coming to Umikaze Village, it is something as simple as wanting to get away from the city. I know that this may sound strange to you but some people can't appreciate the urban life as much as others." Naoto said in her most humble manner.

The face the blonde kid was making was enough to confirm every single one of Naoto's suspicions. The girl detective allowed herself a small smile. It was moments like these, when she pulled off an observation like this so accurately, that made being a detective so worthwhile. Granted, the boy she had observed had the most blatant body language she had seen after Hanamura Yosuke but it still didn't make her mental victory feel any less awesome.

"Yukimura Ryuuichi, you shall apologize to our guest immediately." Mrs. Yukimura said sternly, her voice and face making it clear that arguing with her would be a waste of time. The younger Yukimura immediately stopped scowling.

"I am sorry for causing you trouble. Please accept my humblest apologies." Yukimura Ryuuichi said as he bowed.

"I accept your apology. Please raise your head. I don't want any hard feelings between us." Naoto said. She knew that trying to say that no one was at fault wouldn't solve matters so she decided to accept the forced apology.

The rest of breakfast was eaten in peace.

"I'll clear away the dishes. Why don't you two boys go outside and play? Kin-chan, be sure to give Shirogane-kun a tour of our village, won't you?" Mrs. Yukimura said in her sweeter tone.

"Yes, Grandma." Yukimura said listlessly.

The two of them went outside and were hit by the full force of the summer sun. Even though it was barely seven o'clock, the day was already growing hotter by the second. The blonde boy started walking. Naoto, having no other idea on where to go, decided to follow him out of curiosity.

"So, I am willing to bet your parents sent you here because of you getting in trouble?" Naoto said. The chances of that happening were absurdly high and it was the case Naoto suspected had happened.

The blonde kid stopped.

"Oi, Shirogane. Inside the inn, you may be able to hide behind my grandmother's skirt. But outside, you won't be able to. Detective Prince or not, you don't mess with Yukimura Ryuuichi, the Boss of Umikaze. So if you value your life and health, don't broach that subject." Yukimura said in a threatening voice.

To any other person, that speech might have sounded reasonably threatening. Shirogane Naoto, however, had seen things that would give a person's nightmares. Which was why she was absolutely unimpressed.

"Boss of Umikaze? I don't see any underlings or henchmen." Naoto pointed out.

"A man doesn't need underlings or henchmen to be the boss of an area!" Yukimura yelled out as he turned to face Naoto.

Naoto still wasn't impressed.

"I think the whole point of being the boss of an area is to have underlings. Otherwise, you are just a boss in name only." Naoto pointed out.

"Since there is no one here who is ready to accept my reign that means I have to rule over this area without the help of subordinates. I have to bear the mantle of the boss alone." Yukimura said.

"If no one is willing to accept you being the boss of the area that means you aren't the boss of an area." Naoto pointed out in an extremely bored voice. "Hey, I heard from Miyamoto-san that there had been a death in this village?" Naoto said.

"You actually got the monk to talk?" Yukimura said in a surprised voice. Naoto noted the blonde boy's tone and frowned.

"Is he unsociable?" Naoto asked cautiously.

"He is a smiling misanthrope. He is the type of person who would politely tell you how much he hates you without fearing for the results of his actions." Yukimura said gravely.

"A smiling misanthrope, you say? Maybe he just dislikes to talking to men? Maybe he prefers the company of women more than men?" Naoto theorized. Yukimura shook his head.

"No, I have seen him talk to several women with the same polite loathing. The Postal Worker for instance and the Mayor's wife as well." Yukimura said. Naoto raised a single eyebrow.

"The Mayor's wife is available to the public so easily?" Naoto said skeptically.

"This is a village, Shirogane. You should be surprised that we have a mayor at all." Yukimura said. Naot shrugged carelessly. "But getting back on topic, yes there has been a death in the Sea Caves. A tourist tried exploring them a few months ago and went missing. His body hasn't been discovered but we are already presuming him dead." Yukimura explained.

"Is that so? How interesting." Naoto said. "Who's the Old Soldier?" Naoto asked next.

"Oh him! He is just a demented old fool who still think that the Emperor hasn't surrendered to the Allied Forces. He sometimes becomes violent but those occasions are far and few in between. Most of us just avoid him because he mumbles gibberish we can't stand." Yukimura said. Naoto rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, if nothing else, this is quite an interesting town." Naoto said. She looked up to see Yukimura still frowning at her. "You can leave if you want. I won't complain to your grandmother about you ditching me." Naoto said.

"Nah. Grandma told me to be your guide so I am gonna do just that." Yukimura said through gritted teeth. Naoto raised her eyebrows but decided to let the matter slide.

"So, what do you want to see first? The Harbor or the Sea Cave?" The thuggish looking boy said in a disinterested tone.

"The monk told me to stay away from the Sea Cave." Naoto said cautiously since she noticed someone coming. Yukimura glared at Naoto.

"That monk can take his opinion and shove it for all I care." Yukimura said gruffly.

"And what would you imply when you say shove it?" Miyamoto the Monk said from behind Yukimura, scaring the blonde boy.

"Goddamn you, Miyamoto! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Yukimura said angrily.

"It's a pity that I failed in giving you a complete one." Miyamoto said with a pleasant smile. He then turned his attention towards Naoto. "Good day, Shirogane-san."

"Good morning." Naoto said cautiously. Everyone in this village had been showing strange behavior and it would be better to say less and listen more. Yukimura had described Miyamoto as a misanthrope but that simply might be Yukimura's own biased opinion.

But then again, if Miyamoto wasn't misanthropic then he didn't like men very much, judging from his conversation and behavior from yesterday.

"Well then, good bye." Miyamoto said as he resumed his walk.

"Wait a moment, Miyamoto-san. Did you forbid me from going to the Sea Cave because of its bad reputation or because of some actual danger?" Naoto called out. The monk stopped for a moment before looking over his own shoulder.

"The Sea Cave is actually a maze of cliff cavities in which it is easy to get lost. If you want to throw your common sense to the wind and go die in there, be my guest. But don't blame me when you are breathing your last." He said. Then he paused for a moment. "Actually do blame me. Because you are going to try to justify your own stupidity by claiming that it was somehow my fault that you ended up in that situation." He added.

"Oi, care to have a little respect? He's a guest of the entire village, you know!" Yukimura, surprisingly, yelled in Naoto's defense. Miyamoto stopped once again.

"He? Did you just refer to Shirogane-san as a he?" The monk said in a little surprised tone.

"Yeah. What about it?" Yukimura said, a little confused. Miyamoto only smiled mysteriously.

"Idiot." He said simply before resuming his walk.

"See? What did I tell you? He doesn't treat anyone with respect." Yukimura said gruffly as he led Naoto. "Come on, let's go to The Sea Cave. You seem to be interested in it quite a lot."

They walked for a few minutes before they arrived at what seemed like little shopping district. Naoto could see an alcohol shop, a green-grocer, a haberdashery, a shop which looked like a cross between a pawn shop, an antiques seller and a furniture shop, a tea shop which had put its table and chairs outside. There was a solitary woman sitting in front of the tea shop and drinking something. She was a rather beautiful woman wearing what looked like formal office clothes, something which struck Naoto as out of place in a fishing village like Umikaze.

"Oi, Kintarou! Did you see Inari? That brat is late." The woman said. Yukimura simply shook his head in negative. The woman then noticed Naoto.

"Well hello there, handsome." She leered, making Naoto feel distinctly uncomfortable. "What brings you to the sticks?" She then frowned slightly. "Have I seen you before?" she asked.

Naoto quickly ran her gaze all over her. She had a ring on her left hand. She was possibly married. Judging from the ring's still bright and pristine state, the marriage was still fresh. Her hands were, as far as Naoto could tell, quite smooth. She wasn't used to house work or field work. She was a city woman probably who had married a farmer.

Naoto took a step closer and stole a quick look inside her cup. She was drinking alcohol instead of tea. That settled it. She was a trophy wife who had just recently come to Umikaze Village, grown disheartened by a boring marriage like hers and had taken to drinking.

That made her the second person in Umikaze Village who was bored from living in a place like this, although Naoto could tell that in the case of the woman in front of her, it was less about rural boredom than a failing marriage.

"Oi, kid, you shouldn't space out like that when someone is talking to you." The woman said crossly.

"I am sorry." Naoto said quickly.

"Whatever." The woman said, still frowning. She took a swig, much to Naoto's alarm, and looked at the two of them again. "So," The woman said. "Why are you In Umikaze Village? Did you lose your sanity somewhere? Did some muscle bound stud out of a maiden's fantasy seduce you as well?" She said. She then paused to consider her words. "Never mind. I am just rambling here." She said.

"Err." Naoto said, having trouble thinking at little else than the woman's failing marriage.

"And what is with this village anyways? All the men leave before the sun even rises on their boats and come back long after dark. They love their boats and the sea more than they love their women. And don't even get me started on how much time they spend on weighing the fish!" She said aggressively. She took another sip before glaring at Naoto.

"That girl is late." She grumbled. "And it's not just the men. Everyone here is so bland and uninteresting, leading their boring lives peacefully. Not to mention, almost every other person here seems to like naps more than any other activity. Morning, noon and night, sleep is all they do. Don't they have anything better to do?" She snapped at Yukimura and Naoto.

"Oi, what other people do is none of your business!" Yukimura said.

"Why do you even blame others for your life?" Naoto said, her patience finally boiling over. "Even if it's not turning out to be a fairy tale marriage, your choice to marry your husband and come the village was ultimately your choice. Mooching about, drinking sake and complaining about others isn't going to change a thing."

"You shouldn't have done that." Yukimura said quietly. Naoto looked at Yukimura quizzically. He looked slightly ashamed. The woman put her cup down.

"Listen here, kid." The woman said in a low menacing voice. "Just because I am feeling slightly blue doesn't mean that you should just reveal everything you know about me. I don't know where did you get all that information but I will congratulate you on your research. As for you, Yukimura," The woman glared. "Reign in this guest of yours. Don't forget who helped you hide from your parents." She said before getting up.

"Good morning everyone!" Someone with an infectiously cheery voice greeted them all. The three of them turned to face the new arrival.

"Hey, Mayor Lady, I've got your newspaper! But I don't get why you only read the financial section of the newspaper. It's so boring!" Suzuhara Inari said, waving her briefcase around in one hand and a rolled up newspaper in the other. The girl was wearing a horrible orange colored jinbei with sandals. She tossed it casually to the woman who almost caught it and then dropped it.

"It's something adults do." She said brusquely, opening the newspaper and reading it.

"Oh it's you, Metal Detective-kun! Why were you talking to Mayor Lady?" Inari asked.

"I don't know." Naoto said truthfully.

"Huh? How can you not know? You were the one talking to her, You should know!" Inari said. Then she looked around suspiciously before leaning forward. "Hey, wanna buy some ties?" she said in a conspiratory tone.

"What did you call him again?" The woman asked suddenly, looking up from her newspaper and at Inari.

"Huh? Who? Metal Detective-kun?" Inari asked.

"Detective?" The woman said quizzically. She looked back at Naoto. "What was your name again?"

"My name is Shirogane Naoto." Naoto said shortly.

"Shirogane! You mean from the Yasoinaba Murders!" The woman said, her expression turning from sour to hopeful in an instant. "Please, I need your help!" She said, grabbing Naoto hand.

"What?" Naoto said, surprised the woman's sudden change in expression.

"Huh?" Yukimura said, being as surprised as Naoto.

"I don't get it." Suzuhara said with a confused look. "A detective is supposed to catch criminals so why did Metal Detective-kun here commit murders in Yasoinaba?"

No one paid any attention to her.

"I am sorry madam, but I am on vacation. I can't take your case. And I have it my personal code not to take any adultery suspicion cases until I am at least twenty." Naoto blurted out.

"It's not about that, you stupid boy!" The lady growled. "It's something genuinely troubling." She said, her tone now pleading.

"But it doesn't change the fact that I am on vacation. I will not take your case. You would be better off with contacting the police." Naoto said apologetically. The lady frowned before picking up her purse and pulling out a piece of paper. She quickly scribbled a few words on it before handing it to Naoto.

"Use this number to contact me in case you change your mind." She said, handing it to Naoto.

"What makes you think I will change my mind?" Naoto asked. The woman laughed for the first time, a short but actual laugh.

"For someone who can read my love life simply from looking at me, you are surprisingly dense. You are a private detective, sweetie. You men don't take cases for the money. You do it for the mystery." She said with a sweet smile. She then picked up her purse. "I have to get back home now and try to burn some food for my husband. Make sure not to call me after four o'clock." She said as she left.

Shirogane Naoto simply stood there, seemingly rooted at the spot.

"That's our Ohno Shizuka for you. She may look like just another pretty face but has the personality of a typhoon." Yukimura Kintarou said, a hint of pride coloring his wife.

"You mean she is loud, wet and is trouble for fishermen?" Suzuhara Inari quipped.

"Not that way, dumbass! I mean, you seem to be blown over no matter when you talk to her." Yukimura yelled before noticing Suzuhara smiling. "Oh, that was a joke." He said, realizing it a little too late.

"She is the mayor's wife?" Naoto asked.

"Yup. Got to admit, the mayor's one lucky guy." Yukimura said.

Naoto decided not to say anything. Instead, she simply decided to continue walking towards the sea.

"Where are we going?" Suzuhara asked.

"The Sea Caves. Shirogane wants to see them." Yukimura answered.

They continued walking for another few minutes before they arrived at the beach.

"This is the sandy side of the beach. The harbor is that way but I would keep away, if I was you. The fishermen don't like it when someone comes there without their permission." Yukimura said.

"It's cold." Suzuhara shivered as the sea breeze blew. Naoto simply gazed forward. The sun warmed her back but the occasional stiff sea breeze chilled her face. The sea' ambient roar seemed to fill her heart and made it bounce while the sea gulls cries seemed to fill the air.

That woman, Ohno Shizuka, had said one thing with absolute certainty. For Naoto and her family, it had never been about the money or the fame. The simple mystery itself was worth it. Some people found it a little disturbing, to be obsessed with murders and robberies, but it wasn't as if Naoto herself cared.

And the woman had been slightly correct as well. Even if Naoto felt doubt about going back to being a detective after discovering the supernatural, she felt that she might be tempted enough if the mystery seemed good enough.

The wind blew away her cap and carried it away.

"My hat!" Naot yelled out in alarm before giving chase. Footsteps behind her told her that both Yukimura and Suzuhara had decided to join the chase.

The chase turned out to be mercifully short. Being the tallest, Yukimura jumped and snatched the cap in mid air.

"Seriously, what material is this cap made out of? It's as light as a feather." Yukimura said as he gave the hat a once over.

"Give it back, Yukimura-san." Naoto asked politely. Yukimura appeared to think for a moment.

"Accept me as your boss and become my underling." Yukimura said.

"I can't do that. I am already a subordinate of Yasoinaba's Kingpin of Steel." Naoto said with a completely straight face.

"He's called the Kingpin of Steel? Well, I am the Umikaze's Kingpin of Ice!" Yukimura declared.

"I can be your underling! I've always wanted to be in a group!" Suzuhara said.

"I'll only allow tough women in my group." Yukimura said.

And promptly got hit in the stomach by Suzuhara with her briefcase.

"Is that hard enough?" She asked. Naoto couldn't decide on whether to chuckle or try to break up the scene unfolding in front of her. The seagulls cries were closer for some reason and their sound was deafening.

"Dammit, I didn't mean tough in fights!" Yukimura muttered. "But that was actually a good hit. How come you're so strong?" Yumimura added with some after some thought.

Suzuhara didn't answer her.

"Oi, why aren't you answering me?" Yukimura demanded. He grabbed her head and shook it slightly.

Naotot noticed that Suzuhara wasn't actually lost in thought but was actually fearfully staring at something behind Yukimura. Naoto turned around to look at whatever Suzuhara was staring at.

And then froze.

A body lay on the beach, near the foot of the cliffs. The waves gently kissed the area around it and washed away more and more of the blood that had been spilled around it.

Now Naoto knew why the seagulls had been so loud.

* * *

**And cut! I hope you enjoyed this chapter because the fun is now going to begin! Those of you who are going to complain about too much time spent on talking, kindly go away. I like stories in which characters talk a lot about random stuff. Although quite a few bits of conversation weren't so random.**

**If Naoto could make social links the social links would be:**

**Suzuhara Inari: The Moon**

**Miyamoto Minato: The Hermit**

**Yukimura Sakura: Death**

**Yukimura Kintarou: The Hanged Man**

**Ohno Shizuka: The Strength**

**The reasons will be explained soon enough.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Shimagami Isamu

"Your name?" The police man asked Naoto.

"Shirogane Naoto." She replied.

"Current Residence?" He asked.

"Currently staying at Yukimura Inn." She answered. The policeman scribbled it down in his tiny notebook.

"Alright, Mr. Shirogane, I want you to describe briefly how you came across the body." The policeman said firmly but not unkindly. Naoto took a deep breath before explaining how the three of them came across the body lying on the beach.

"Did you see anyone else?" The policeman asked. Naoto simply shook her head. The policeman sighed as he closed his notebook. A few feet away, Yukimura and Suzuhara anxiously waited for Naoto to be relieved by the policeman.

"What a way to start the day. Here I am, only policeman in this entire village full of fishermen. I thought the only things I would have to do was making my rounds on the bike and hunt down the occasional cat. And now I have a death in my hands." The policeman sighed theatrically. "Let's hope that the some out of town press doesn't come down on this place. They would tear me to pieces." He said.

Naoto walked away from the policeman who was still grumbling near the corpse. No one else had come by yet despite it being midday already. Not a single person had arrived at the beach. Which was probably a good thing, considering that it would immediately become the talk of the town. Naoto and the others would become instant celebrities. She would become especially famous considering that she was the Shirogane Naoto from the Yasoinaba Murder Case.

"Are you feeling okay?" Suzuhara asked anxiously. Naoto smiled gently.

"Don't worry, I am used to seeing mutilated corpses." Naoto said.

It only ended up scaring Suzuhara even more.

"What could be the cause of death?" Yukimura asked. He was looking pale but was still trying to keep his composure.

"It looks like suicide." Naoto said.

"Suicide?" Suzuhara said in a faint voice. Naoto nodded.

"The deceased probably tried jumping from the cliff into the sea. Was probably a romantic fool who thought that this was a good way to die. The wind must have blown him backwards and he fell on the beach instead. The force of impact killed him." Naoto theorized. Then she reconsidered. "At least, I hope it did. If he didn't die immediately then he must have bled to death." She said.

"Oi Shirogane! Stop it! You're scaring Suzuhara!" Yukimura said. Naoto snapped back to reality and noticed Suzuhara close to tears and Yukimura looking extremely angry.

"I am sorry. I forgot that you were there." Naoto said honestly.

"Whaddaya mean, Forgot we were here? You've got some nerve, Shirogane, to make a girl cry!" Yukimura said angrily.

"Please don't fight. Metal Detective-kun can't help being like that." Suzuhara pleaded. Yukimura looked at Suzuhara then back at Naoto. With a growl, he stepped back.

"Let's get something to eat. It will help you two recover. Does this place sell chocolate?" Naoto said quickly.

A few minutes later, they were sitting at the same café where they had met Ohno Shizuka, the mayor's wife. Naoto had glared down Yukimura's attempts at paying and forked over the money to the old tea shop owner. The three of them were sitting with soda pop and chocolate cake, a unique afternoon which still managed to raise their spirits.

"Are you sure that it was suicide?" Yukimura asked.

"Well, the chances are high." Naoto said in a neutral tone. She didn't want the two of them jumping to conclusions and spreading rumors.

"What about murder? Suppose someone pushed the poor guy off the cliff." Yukimura said. Suzuhara simply shuddered before shoveling more cake into her mouth.

"The possibility exists." Naoto said cautiously.

"So someone really did murder that poor man?" Suzuhara gasped.

"I only said that it was possible. I didn't say that's what happened." Naoto snapped, making Suzuhara shrink away in fear. She looked at the two of them sigh.

"Sorry you two. I know it must be hard dealing with such a hard experience. But I can't solve this case. I am not paid to do it and I don't have the authority to do it. This murder is in the hands of the police." Naoto said apologetically.

The two of them didn't say anything and continued eating their chocolate cake.

"Well, what do we have here?" A pleasant voice said, scaring both Yukimura and Suzuhara enough for them to choke on their cake. Naoto was similarly spooked but managed to recover quickly enough to thump Suzuhara's back.

"Stop doing that, Mayamoto! That wasn't very nice!" Yukimura complained. Someone poked their head out of their shop to see what was the entire commotion was about. Naoto sheepishly waved them off.

"The Mayor wants to see you, Shirogane. He has even called a reporter from the city." Miyamoto said politely. "And the postmaster wants his idiot back at work." He said, looking at Suzuhara.

"Hey, leave Suzuhara out of this! She's having a bad day." Yukimura growled.

"It's alright, Yukimura-san. I'll go back to work. It will help me take my mind off what we just saw." Suzuhara said as she got up. "You should go back home as well, Yukimura-san. Your grandmother might get worried." She advised as she started walking away.

"Let me guide you to the Mayor's office." Miyamoto offered. Naoto didn't say anything but simply got off her chair and started after the monk.

"What exactly happened?" Miyamoto asked.

"I am not at liberty to tell you." Naoto said sharply.

"Interesting. It sounds like something scandalous." Miyamoto commented. Naoto remained silent.

A few minutes of walking later, the two of them arrived at a modern looking building. A single car stood in front of the entrance. The mayor's wife stood waiting, tapping her foot impatiently.

"There you are. The reporter is waiting inside." Ohno said in a frustrated voice.

"You brought the reporter to force me to take the case, didn't you?" Naoto said darkly.

"Now why would you say that?" Shizuka said angrily. "Besides, it wasn't my idea. It was my husband's." she added.

Naoto felt an over whelming urge to go inside and beat that idiot of a mayor fifty shades of blue. Press would make the entire thing an even bigger fiasco than it already was. Why didn't he bring in a proper homicide team?

But Naoto kept her temper in check. It had been quite some time since someone had managed to make her so seriously angry. Adachi had been the first but this Mayor Ohno took the cake by making her furious before even meeting.

Taking a deep breath, the girl detective stepped inside the building.

Ohno Shizuka led her through a waiting room of sorts and directly into the mayor's office. Naoto took a moment to look around the room. It was a fairly average sized room, according to Naoto. There was an old desk and chair at the end of the room. A few wooden chairs were also present, supposedly for the guests to use. The flag of Japan hung behind the mayor's chair. A bulletin board was on the left wall while a picture of a married couple, presumably the Mayor and his wife, hung on the right.

"Ah, Detective Shirogane! What an honor for you to join us! I am the Mayor of Umikaze Village, Ohno Hojou. This is my secretary and wife, Ohno Shizuka. And this is Hattori Hajime, a reporter from the Daily Tanto Newspaper of Ohara City." The mayor, a tall and large man with handsome features said a heartily. Naoto could smell his insincerity from where she was standing but she had to shake his hand as the seedy looking reporter and the mayor's wife looked at her. His hand was surprisingly large as well and his knuckles looked incredibly scarred for some reason.

"Good morning. It's a pleasure to meet you all. May I inquire on the nature of this call?" Naoto said in her best professional manner.

"Isn't it obvious? I, as the Mayor of Umikaze, want to hire you as our lead investigator!" The mayor said with a laugh.

"I am sorry but I assumed that you would know that you cannot hire me." Naoto said apologetically.

"I beg your pardon?" The mayor said, his smiling face slipping a little.

"You are not kin to the deceased which is why you cannot hire me. You cannot use your authority as the mayor to appoint me as the investigator since the job belongs to the police and their homicide department. I am sorry but even if I was willing to take the case, I can only do so if I was hired by the police, not you." Naoto explained.

"I see. That's such a shame." The mayor said darkly before slipping his mask back up. "Oh well, that's too bad then! Mr. Hattori, let me accompany you to the crime scene! Detective Shirogane, my wife shall escort you back. Do have a nice day."

Naoto stood outside the mayor's office. It was past noon and the sunlight was still harsh.

"You did the correct thing. But I can't understand how you weren't swayed by his charisma." Ohno Shizuka said.

"Charisma? Don't make me laugh. Your husband is thinking of something and I already know what it is." Naoto said in a disgusted tone.

"Surprise me." Ohno Shizuka said.

"He was going to use me as a mascot to bring in tourists to Umikaze. I know this feeling, the way people try to use me as nothing but a prop. "Hey look, we even have the Detective Prince Shirogane with us! Isn't that cool?"." Naoto said, bitterly. Just because she had managed to accept her flaws back in Inaba didn't mean that she wasn't hurt by people who still saw her as anything but a detective. But she quickly recovered.

"Still, it's a good thing I am on vacation. Although I do feel bad for lying. Technically, he has the authority to hire me as the mayor. I just don't want to be hired." Naoto said.

"You know, for a private detective, you don't seem to be too keen on solving mysteries." Ohno Shizuka said. Naoto didn't say anything and simply started walking back to the inn.

"My job offer is still open, in case you want to know." The older woman yelled. Naoto ignored her.

The streets were empty but Naoto could see several people sitting in their backyards. Some were drinking tea while the others lay napping. A toddler even waved at her. Naoto waved back uncertainly before continuing on her way. She walked into another street, this one with no people in sight and came across an old man in a military uniform.

"You're the one I need." The old man said, holding up a large knife. Naoto calmly tried to analyze the situation.

"What do you want me for?" Naoto asked as calmly as she could.

"You're strong. You'll be good enough for me." The soldier said as he shuffled closer to her, big knife still in hand.

And then stopped completely as Naoto brought out her revolver with smirk.

"Say hello to my little friend." She said confidently.

Naoto wasn't sure exactly what happened next because one moment, she aiming her gun at the mad man with the knife. The next moment, the gun was in the mad man's hand and she was on her knees with her right arm twisted and pinned to her back.

"I told you, you were coming with me." The old man rasped.

Naoto kicked back and connected. Breaking free, she whirled around.

But her brief escapade was cut short by the old man pressing her own gun's barrel on her forehead.

"Forward march." He whispered. The streets were still empty, much to Naoto's fury. She was also angry at being disarmed so easily and quickly, despite all her lessons in self defense.

The old man marched her through the streets and towards the beach. However, much to Naoto's dismay, they didn't come across either the policeman or the news reporter. The mad man marched her to the very end of the beach and to the feet of the cliffs. After walking for a few more meters, they came across a hole in the cliff face. Naoto could immediately guess what it was.

"The Sea Cave." She said neutrally. She turned to face the mad man. "What do you want me to do?" She asked.

He handed her gun back to her. Naoto was now extremely confused.

"Go into the cave." The old man said.

"Just that? Why don't you go yourself?" She said angrily.

"I can't go in." The old man said simply.

"Why not?" Naot demanded.

"I can't. Just go in. I won't bother you after this." The old man said. Naoto debated wrestling with the old man again but there was one severe disadvantage. This old man was just too skilled at fighting for her to tackle. She could shoot him but that would open up another can of worms. The gun in her hand was illegal. And even if it wasn't she was still technically a minor. Gritting her teeth, Naoto decided to humor the old man.

Naoto stepped into the Sea Cave. There was nothing spectacular about it. It was just a hole in the cliff face with rocks and stones. Naoto continued walking into the cliff when she finally noticed something.

It wasn't really dark inside. There was still some sort of light that illuminated the cave. It wasn't enough to show everything but it still was enough for Naoto to continue walking into the dark without hurting herself. The light didn't come from anywhere, it just seemed to be there. Naoto's sense of danger began rising but she resumed walking.

And then saw something extremely out of place.

It was a camera on a tripod. It simply stood on the cave floor. Naoto was a little surprised at first but then smiled to herself.

"Maybe you are the thing that the mad man wants me to bring." She said.

The camera turned to look at her. The tripod's legs acted as spidery legs and the camera turned around to point its lens at Naoto. Alarm bells went off in Naoto's mind but for a dangerous moment, she couldn't move.

Then the camera fired a laser beam and hit Naoto solidly in the chest. Instead of disintegrating her or killing her, the beam simply blew Naoto back a few feet. She landed on her back with a painful crash but was back on her feet in a few moments.

More Spider Cameras were appearing and were preparing to fire their beams. Without a second thought, Naoto focused mentally. A shining blue card seemed to appear above Naoto. Small blue flames surrounded her. With a deft movement, Naoto pointed her gun at the floating card.

"PERSONA!" Naoto yelled as she squeezed the trigger. The card shattered into a million shards as a small figure clad in white, wearing a motorcycle helmet and wilding a katana appeared.

"Light them up, Yamato Takeru! Mahamaon!" Naoto yelled. The Persona waved his katana threateningly as a brilliant glowing mandala appeared under the Spider Cameras.

For a moment, nothing happened as the shining mandala continued building itself. And then suddenly, it lit up with a blinding yellow light. Naoto had to shield her eyes but she saw four of the six Spider Cameras incinerated. The other two Spider Cameras, however, survived and fired once more.

Their aim, however, was completely off and they missed. Naoto, however, didn't miss as she gunned down the first Spider Camera.

"Slice him to pieces, Yamato Takeru! Tempest Slash!" She called out.

Quick as a lightning bolt, Yamato Takeru dashed out. The Spider Camera was cut into two and his remains seemed to melt away into dark liquid. Naoto got up, extremely shaken by the experience. Yamato Takeru faded out of existence.

"What the hell was all of this?" She said. This place wasn't the Midnight Channel but it had creatures that were affected by Personas. She wasn't dead but the pain in her chest was enough to make her wish that she was. She quickly opened up her shirt and checked her body. A small bruise was forming where the beam had hit her. Growling, Naoto checked her revolver. One bullet had been spent to summon Yamato Takeru, five bullets had been spent to gun down the fifth Spider Camera.

Naoto briefly considered continuing going forward but decided against it. She didn't have any bullets and couldn't continue forward without risking extreme injuries. However, she did have more questions than answers now and this was worrying. Limping slightly, Naoto Shirogane made her way out of the cave and saw the mad soldier still standing where she had left him.

The two of them stared at each other. Naoto gave in first.

"Alright, you've got my attention. What is happening? Why is there a place like this in Umikaze? And what was that all about?" Naoto asked.

"I don't know." The old man simply said.

"What the hell does that even mean?" Naoto asked sharply.

"It means that I don't know! I have no proper memories of myself. I woke up to find myself in this village and everybody knew me even though I don't know myself. Apparently, my name is Shimagami Isamu and that I have to guide someone to these caves. I made a mistake before when I led that tourist into the cave but this time, I think I made the correct choice." He said.

Naoto looked at him coldly. There was nothing on his clothes or face to give her a clue to work on. She did know that he had sufficient military training and was apparently able to sense the ability of Persona Users.

Persona Users.

"What was the name of the tourist?" Naoto yelled as she grabbed the old man by the neck, almost strangling him. A sudden fear had taken hold of her brain. What if it was one of the investigation team members?

"His… name was…. Fujioka…." Shimagami choked. As soon as Naoto heard him, she led go of him and collapsed on the ground. She felt an incredible wave of relief course through her as she realized that at least her friends hadn't died. After a few moments, she got up with her eyes blazing.

"I am going to come back here tomorrow and then I am going to get to the bottom of this." The Persona User and Great Detective vowed.

* * *

**Well, now that this chapter is done, I can finally say that things are moving along at a steady pace. And oh yeah, this story isn't based on Golden or Arena. Because I didn't play both of them.**

**But guys, why aren't you reviewing? This is an awesome story and you can tell! Please review! Me without reviews is like Kanji without knitting; The world ends!**

**Now, to assigning various unimportant people their Arcanas!**

**Ohno Houjo: The Devil**

**Shimagami Isamu: The Chariot**


End file.
